So I've just started my journey here and couple days ago I've applied to this job that required transcribing quite a difficult audio file. I was asked to do a sample of 5 minutes long and send back for a review. A day later I got a reply saying that "i've missed a lot of words" and was returned a ''revisioned file" which really did have a lot of phrases and words missing, but i figured it's better not to argue this time and passed on. Week later I was scrolling through the list of applications that were never replied to by a client, and saw this job again, went it and realized something unethical must have been happening. Let me know your thoughts on this.

Client had posted 4 jobs, none complete

Did not have payment method verified

Had a lot of interviews going on at that time

And when I finally figured out all the nuances of Upworks interface and went to look at the profile of a client/person I was communicating with, he turned out to be a freelancer himself with 4.97 feedback score, 88% job success rate.

So now I'm thinking, could it be that he had posted those jobs to help himself do something, and distribute various samples among all other interviewed, eventually collecting a fully transcribed audie file with no efforts from his side? I have reasonable grounds to believe that. Did you guys ever encounter anything like that in your experience here? Thanks.

Free sample work/ trial is still a grey area for freelancers. Upwork has a policy against free work or a lottery/ competition however the same may not hold true for trials. I would suggest that you check out this thread for further details:

From what you have described in your post, the activity of this particular Client does seem fraudulent. However, just a few things that I would like to add:

1. There are a number of entities who work as Freelancers as well as act as Client on Upwork.

2. With regards to Sample/ Trial work, Upwork should introduce a vetting process. The Client should be asked to upload his 'Sample/ Trial' file...the one on which he will judge the applicants. Upwork can then check if the sample is indeed a short one and not a part of the project (or seems like one, atleast). Then Upwork can brand the file as Upwork 'Certified Test/ Trial Sample'. This way the client cannot break up a big projects in parts and modules and get it done for work under the pretense of trials.